


now, just a little more

by merryofsoul



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Bodyswap, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 04:26:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17891450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merryofsoul/pseuds/merryofsoul
Summary: Hoseok and Hyungwon think they have everything figured out, but the universe knows better.





	now, just a little more

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Karlarado](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karlarado/gifts).



> Almost an entire month late...but happy birthday!!! <333 I hope you like this! /o\ 
> 
> Thank you to tullycat for the beta <3 The title comes from なんでもないや (Nandemonaiya) which is the title theme from _Kimi no Na wa_ which karlarado told me to watch and got me started thinking about bodyswap to begin with!

Hoseok wakes up, rolls over, and smacks into the wall.

“What the—” he groans. The wall is not on the side it’s supposed to be on. Did he get into bed upside down last night? 

“Hyungwon, why,” Jooheon grumbles. Hoseok shakes his head and squints. He doesn’t remember falling asleep in Hyungwon’s room last night. Either he sleepwalked or he must’ve been more tired than he thought and forgotten where he fell asleep. 

He pushes himself up, but can’t see shit. He didn’t realize how dark the others kept their bedroom. He rubs his eyes blearily and finally gets up to stumble out into the hallway. He’s in the bathroom before he feels like he has control of his body, but it’s shaky at best. He hopes he’s not getting sick. 

He pees and washes his face but he’s still feeling fuzzy when he looks at himself in the mirror. He frowns, because it seems like someone moved the mirror down as a joke, and he’s still frowning at himself when someone bursts into the bathroom behind him. 

“Hey—” he says, his voice coming out low and thick from sleep. He sees a blur of dark hair and muscles and says, “Shownu, is that you?” 

Maybe-Hyunwoo yelps, and it sounds so weird that Hoseok frowns in concern. 

“What’s wrong with you?” 

“What’s wrong with _me?_ I must be dreaming.” There’s something that sounds like a palm hitting skin. 

“Did you just slap yourself?” Hoseok asks. Hyunwoo moves closer and _pinches_ him, which hurts, thank you very fucking much. Hoseok bats his hands away. “Really! What’s wrong with you?” 

“Why are you squinting like that?” 

Hoseok frowns and rubs his eyes again. 

“I can’t really see,” he says. “Shownu — are you losing your voice? Why do you sound so weird?”

“I’m not— I’ll be right back. Stay here.”

“Why—”

“Just— do it, hyung.” An exasperated sigh. “Just wait here.”

Hoseok’s really too tired to argue, so he just turns around and starts to brush his teeth, humming sleepily to himself. He’s ducking his head to spit when the door opens again. 

“What the fuck,” Hyunwoo says when he gets back. “Did you just use your toothbrush in my mouth?”

“What?” Hoseok says. “What kind of question was that?”

There’s a faint gagging sound and then a pair of glasses are being shoved onto his face. 

“Are you trying to poke my eye out?” Hoseok says with a laugh. “Whose glasses are these?”

Hoseok blinks, and can suddenly see. He takes in Hyunwoo standing in front of him, and thinks Hyunwoo had it right before. He must be dreaming. 

“What.”

“That’s what I would like to know,” not-Shownu says with Hoseok’s face. “What the fuck.”

Hoseok turns back to the mirror quickly and stares at himself.

Or rather, himself in Hyungwon’s body.

_“What?”_

*

“Are you still mad about the toothbrush thing?” Hoseok asks as they stretch in the practice room. 

“I wasn’t thinking about it anymore,” Hyungwon replies. “But now I’m mad again.”

“Then why are you glaring at me?”

“Do you have to...look at me so much?”

Hoseok blinks and turns to look at Hyungwon directly. He’d been looking in the mirror, studying the lines of Hyungwon’s body and making sure he stretches it properly. Hyungwon is more flexible than him and Hoseok doesn’t want to injure him. 

“I wasn’t looking at you?” Hoseok replies. Hyungwon gestures to the mirror and makes a pointed face. Hoseok glances at them in the mirror again and chuckles. “Okay, yeah. I guess technically I was looking at you.”

“Well, stop,” Hyungwon replies. 

Hoseok laughs again. “I look at you all the time, Hyungwon.”

Hyungwon makes a disgruntled noise. 

“Besides, I like your body,” Hoseok says. “I’ve told you that before.”

“Liar,” Hyungwon replies easily. 

“So you’re mad about the toothbrush thing even though we kiss all the time,” Hoseok says, ticking it off on his finger. “And you don’t want me looking at your body even though I look at it all the time anyway for sexy and non-sexy reasons.”

“Stop saying sexy.”

“I can say it without lisping so I’m going to say it a lot,” Hoseok replies. “Sexy.”

Hyungwon reaches out and shoves Hoseok hard. Normally Hoseok would sway in place a little, or most likely not move at all, but this time he goes tumbling over immediately. 

“Oh my god?” Hyungwon scrambles over. “I’m so sorry.”

“How do you live like this?” Hoseok asks. He’d gone flying without any resistance. He always thought that Hyungwon exaggerated it, but it looks like Hyungwon wasn’t kidding about his paper body.

“Now you know how I feel,” Hyungwon replies. “That took...no effort.” He frowns down at Hoseok and Hoseok thinks this is the most his face has frowned in a while. Hyungwon is going to give him wrinkles. “Now I’m mad again.”

“What now?” Hoseok asks as Hyungwon helps him sit back up.

“You’re too strong,” Hyungwon says. “It’s not fair.”

“Hyungwon? Strong?” Minhyuk walks by and scoffs. “What are you talking about?”

“This is going to go terribly,” Hyungwon mutters as everyone else arrives and gets ready to start practicing. 

“Just think of it like a part switch,” Hoseok replies. 

“Yeah, except I don’t know your part at all,” Hyungwon shoots back. “You at least know mine because you made it.”

Hoseok grimaces as he realizes Hyungwon is right. 

“Maybe we can fake sick,” Hoseok says. 

“Both of us?” Hyungwon scoffs. “That won’t be believable.”

“Then just you,” Hoseok says. “I’ll be fine.”

“Hoseokie-hyung.” A new voice interrupts their whispered conversation. “Are you ready to start?”

Hoseok looks up at Changkyun, but Changkyun is looking at Hyungwon. He closes his eyes against the wave of disorientation that passes over him at the weirdness of the situation. 

“Uh, actually,” Hyungwon says. “I’m—“

“He’s not feeling well,” Hoseok interrupts. 

“Do you want me to get the manager?” Changkyun asks. 

“I got it, Changkyun-ah,” Hyungwon says, smiling warmly at Changkyun. “Thank you.”

Hoseok stares at Hyungwon and his stomach flips over. Is that how he looks every time he smiles at Changkyun? Just how obvious is he? He glances between Hyungwon and Changkyun quickly. It’s not like Hyungwon can read his mind or his feelings just because he’s stuck in Hoseok’s body. Hoseok isn’t getting any of that from Hyungwon. So there’s no way Hyungwon will find out about the little crush Hoseok has on Changkyun. 

It’s harmless, really. And it’s not something that’s come up in the time he and Hyungwon have been dating because Hoseok likes Hyungwon a ridiculous amount and nothing is going to change that. He just also sometimes has feelings about Changkyun and his laugh and the way he clings to Hoseok when he’s embarrassed, which always makes Hoseok’s stomach feel tingly and warm.

It’s just a little crush. That’s all.

*

“Are they planning something terrible?” 

Hoseok jerks out of his thoughts as Minhyuk plops down next to him. 

“What?” 

“Changkyunnie and Wonho,” Minhyuk says, gesturing across the room at them. They’re seated side-by-side in the make-up chairs, the stylist noonas working on them as they talk to each other. “They look too cozy. Like they’re up to something.”

Hoseok hums in agreement. He’d zoned out watching the two of them, wishing he knew what they were talking about. He reaches for the bag of snacks in Minhyuk’s hand. Minhyuk lets him take some, and then watches him suspiciously out of the corner of his eye. 

“I thought you hated these,” he says. Hoseok glances at the label and sees that it’s something Hyungwon has loudly proclaimed his hatred for in the past. But Hoseok likes them, so he shrugs and continues eating. He’s a lot hungrier than he normally is, and he doesn’t know how Hyungwon lives like this. But when he puts the chip in his mouth, his feels his face scrunch up without his permission. 

“Ugh,” he says, reaching for his water immediately as Hyungwon’s taste buds betray him. 

Minhyuk cackles as Hoseok takes a swig of water. Hoseok glances at Hyungwon and Changkyun. Hyungwon is bent over something in his lap and Changkyun is practically hanging off his shoulder to look at it too. Hoseok has seen how he looks next to Changkyun in pictures and videos, but it’s a whole different thing to see it in real life. They look good together, even in the ugly green track suits they wear for X-Ray. 

He immediately feels guilty for thinking that. 

“Changkyun-ah! Where do you want to go for your birthday?” Kihyun calls as he plops down on Hoseok’s other side. He reaches across Hoseok to grab some chips and makes an angry noise in the back of his throat when Minhyuk jerks the bag out of his reach. 

“Minhyuk, stop,” Hoseok chides. Minhyuk eyes him in mock offense. 

“So rude?”

Hoseok stares at him for a second before remembering. 

“Sorry, hyung,” Hoseok says, feeling weird about the honorific. Minhyuk gives him a suspicious look. 

“I don’t know,” Changkyun calls back. “You guys can pick.”

Kihyun makes a dissatisfied noise. “That’s not how it works.”

“I really don’t care,” Changkyun says. “I just want to spend it with you guys.”

Minhyuk gags. Hyungwon cringes, which is such an un-Hoseok like reaction to someone being sentimental that everyone stops and stares at him. 

“Wow,” Minhyuk says. “You know you’re cringey when it’s too cringey for Wonho.” 

Changkyun blushes and hunkers back down in his seat and Hoseok glares at Hyungwon in the mirror who makes a face back before saying something quietly to Changkyun that Hoseok hopes is an apology. 

*

“Oh, fuck,” Hoseok says, as he goes to duck out of the van and smacks his head against the frame — again. It’s the third time he’s done it today, after bumping his head on the top of the fridge when he ducked to look inside, and shrugging on his normal jacket only for his arms to stick ridiculously out of the sleeves. 

“You’re going to give me a concussion,” Hyungwon complains as they trail into the building. 

“It’s not like I’m doing it on purpose,” Hoseok pouts. 

“Alright, what’s going on with you two?” 

Hoseok stops walking and turns to see Kihyun behind them, staring at them suspiciously. He’d thought they were the last two in the building. 

“Um, nothing?” Hoseok says. 

“I don’t believe you,” Kihyun says. Hoseok squirms as Kihyun continues to stare at them, an unimpressed look on his face.

“You’re not yourselves right now, are you?”

“How did you know?” Hyungwon asks immediately, not even trying to keep up to the pretense. 

Hoseok’s mouth drops open. “Hyungwon — what —”

“You guys are really obvious,” Kihyun says. “Plus, it’s happened to me before.”

“No way,” Hoseok says. “When?” 

Kihyun ushers them both into one of the nearby conference rooms before answering. 

“Right after No.Mercy,” Kihyun says. “Shownu and I were... having issues, and then one day just woke up in each other’s bodies.” 

“Awkward,” Hyungwon mumbles. 

“Yeah, it was,” Kihyun says. “But we were already awkward before that, and we needed to get our shit together for the group, so the universe decided to fix it for us, I guess.” 

“Well, how did you switch back?” 

“We had to talk about it, and get comfortable with each other,” Kihyun said. Hyungwon raises his eyebrows suggestively. Hoseok snorts out a laugh, because it’s still so weird to see Hyungwon’s iconic faces on his own features. Kihyun lets out an exasperated groan. “Not like that!”

Hoseok hums and wisely keeps his mouth shut, but Hyungwon lets out a short laugh. Kihyun looks like he’s doing everything in his power not to punch him. 

“Not at that time anyway,” Kihyun admits. “That came later.”

“Okay, I’m done talking about this,” Hyungwon says abruptly. 

“Whatever,” Kihyun replies. “You guys clearly have something you need to work out.”

“We already did,” Hoseok says. “Weeks ago. We’re dating and everything. You know that.”

Kihyun shakes his head. “Must be something else then.”

Hoseok frowns at Hyungwon, who doesn’t meet his gaze right away. What isn’t Hyungwon telling him?

“Just try and get it handled before the fan meeting this weekend,” Kihyun says, drawing Hoseok out of his thoughts. “Or learn each other’s parts.”

Hoseok groans internally, not really needing the reminder. After Hyungwon had faked sick for rehearsal the other day, he and Hoseok had gone back in for extra practice so Hyungwon could learn Hoseok’s part. It’d gone okay, but not great. Hoseok mentally books more time in the practice room for them, and starts to think about what he can do to make it up to Hyungwon. 

“Are you guys coming?”

Hoseok looks up as Changkyun swings into the doorway. He smiles warmly at Hoseok before turning a gentler, almost a little more adoring smile on Hyungwon. It strikes a pang deep in his chest. 

“Yeah,” Kihyun says, giving Hoseok and Hyungwon significant looks before leading the way out of the room. “Let’s go.”

*

Later that night, hours after the others have left for their studios or the dorm, Hoseok and Hyungwon are still in the practice room. Hyungwon makes an uncomfortable face as he rotates his shoulder. Hoseok steps up behind him and presses his fingers into the knot on his shoulder blade without having to ask what the issue is. He deals with that soreness almost every day. 

“Thanks,” Hyungwon mutters. 

“Do you want to take a break?” Hoseok asks. 

“Let’s just try one more time,” Hyungwon says. 

Hoseok nods and steps back, getting into Hyungwon’s starting position. He watches in the mirror as Hyungwon does the same, a determined look on his face. The music, which has been looping this entire time, starts over from the beginning of the song, and they start to dance. 

It was hard at first for Hoseok to get Hyungwon’s willowy body movements down, but it clicked for him faster than Hoseok’s moves clicked for Hyungwon. He tries to focus on his own steps without staring at Hyungwon too much, because he doesn’t want to pressure him or stress him out. 

They get over a minute into the song before Hoseok realizes that there hasn’t been a mistake. The second that thought crosses his mind he thinks he’s jinxed it, but they continue along without any missteps until the end of the song. When the music fades out and starts to loop again, Hyungwon puts his hands on his knees and heaves in a few breaths before looking up at Hoseok in shock. 

“You did it!” Hoseok says, reaching out and catching Hyungown’s arm to reel him in. He leans in for a kiss, but stops short. 

“It’s weird to kiss myself,” Hoseok says when Hyungwon looks at him curiously. 

“Just close your eyes,” Hyungwon says, shutting his own. Hoseok does the same and leans in. It’s still weird, because he has to tilt his head down a little instead of up. His lips are rougher than Hyungwon’s, and he makes a mental note to be better about his lip balm use when he’s back in his own body. 

“Still weird,” Hoseok says, pulling away. Hyungwon scoffs and goes to grab some water, and Hoseok follows him to their bags to check his phone. He has a few messages waiting from Changkyun, asking when he’ll be in his studio and if he’s available to help him with a track, _please, please, please hyung._

“Crap,” he mutters, typing an apologetic reply to Changkyun. It’s the second time that Hoseok has had to get out of hanging out with Changkyun. He knows Hyungwon could help Changkyun to a point, but he and Changkyun have been working on something in depth for a few weeks now, and Hyungwon doesn’t know all of the finer details of it.

“Cancelling on Changkyunnie again?” Hyungwon asks. 

“How’d you know?”

“He keeps giving me all these really sad looks,” Hyungwon says. “It’s depressing.” 

Hoseok frowns. “Maybe we should just tell him.”

“Why would he believe us?” Hyungwon says. “The only reason we believe Kihyun is because it’s happening to us.”

“True,” Hoseok says. “Hopefully we switch back soon.”

He hopes it’s soon. He can’t stand the thought of Changkyun being sad because of him.

*

Hoseok doesn’t mean to fall asleep while they’re waiting, but usually all it takes is a chair and no one talking at him, and he’s out like a light. His current position could be more comfortable, the usual hard angle on his neck is worse with Hyungwon’s height, so it takes some shifting to get into a good position. Still, he manages to drift off to the sound of Hyunwoo and Jooheon’s conversation. 

When he blinks back awake, it doesn’t feel like much time has passed. Hyunwoo and Jooheon have stopped talking, but Minhyuk is still in the makeup chair where he was when Hoseok fell asleep. The only difference is that Hoseok is resting against someone, their arm coming around his chest to hold him to them securely. 

He looks up to see the underside of Changkyun’s chin. It’s not a particularly cute angle for anyone, but Hoseok smiles anyway. Changkyun doesn’t seem to realize he’s awake, focused on his phone in the hand not holding Hoseok close. He must breathe differently or something, because suddenly Changkyun is looking down at him and smiling. 

“It’s almost your turn for makeup, hyung,” Changkyun says. 

“Okay,” Hoseok replies. He doesn’t move from Changkyun’s embrace. It feels really nice. 

“Hyung…” Changkyun starts to ask. He trails off and glances around the busy room, and then across to the other couch where Jooheon and Hyunwoo have started talking again. 

“What’s the matter?” Hoseok asks. 

“Is Wonho-hyung mad at me?”

Hoseok opens his mouth to say, ‘Of course I’m not mad at you,’ but stops short. 

“Why would you think that?” he asks instead. He sits up so he can see Changkyun better, and frowns in response to the look on Changkyun’s face. 

“I dunno…” Changkyun mumbles, picking at a non-existent thread on the seat cushion underneath him and not looking at Hoseok. “He keeps cancelling plans and it’s stupid but it seems like...he keeps disappearing? Everytime I show up?” 

He sighs and glances at Hoseok quickly before groaning quietly, the tips of his ears going red. Hoseok tries to reply but Changkyun continues to ramble and cuts him off. 

“Never mind, I told you it was stupid. Please don’t say anything to him about it. I just thought you might know...since you guys...never mind.”

“Changkyun—”

“Hyungwon-ah,” Minhyuk calls from the makeup chairs. “Your turn.”

“Go, hyung,” Changkyun mutters. He’s still avoiding looking at Hoseok, focusing on his phone instead. 

“He’s not mad at you,” Hoseok says as he finally gets to his feet. “I promise.”

“Just forget it,” Changkyun replies. 

“I’m serious, Changkyun-ah,” Hoseok says. “What could you have even done?” 

Changkyun hunches over his phone more. “Okay. I believe you.”

Hoseok frowns, but the stylist noona is coming at him like she’s about to drag him if he doesn’t come of his own will, so he gets moving. 

He’ll have to talk to Hyungwon later.

*

“I saw you napping in Changkyunnie’s arms earlier.”

Hoseok looks away from the ramen bubbling in the pot. He was trying to fall asleep, but the constant hunger that Hyungwon feels was gnawing away at his stomach. 

“Jealous?”

Hyungwon coughs a little and looks away. “No.”

“You wanted to be holding me instead?” Hoseok asks with a grin.

“Ah,” Hyungwon says. “Yeah, that’s it.”

Hoseok watches the blush tinge Hyungwon’s cheeks. Hyungwon might be able to hide his embarrassment better in his own body, but in Hoseok’s body he’s not as lucky. Interesting. 

“He thinks I’m mad at him,” Hoseok says, stirring the noodles. “What’s up with that?”

Hyungwon sighs. 

“Well cancelling the studio time is on you,” Hyungwon says. He reaches into the cabinets and takes down two bowls, handing them over without Hoseok having to ask. 

“What about disappearing when he tries to hang out near you?”

Hoseok splits the ramen between the two bowls as he waits for Hyungwon to respond. 

“He stands really close to you, have you noticed that?” Hyungwon says eventually. 

Hoseok stares at Hyungwon. “This is a personal space thing? With how we all live?” Hoseok narrows his eyes at Hyungwon. “Hyungwon, I’ve seen you with him. You regularly take naps in his arms. I don’t understand.”

“It’s different,” Hyungwon says quickly. “I’m used to how he is with me, but he’s different with you. It’s almost...closer? He hovers around you a lot, like he’s expecting something, which he doesn’t do to me.” 

“I...didn’t notice,” Hoseok says. “It’s how he always is with me.”

“I’ve noticed,” Hyungwon says. He doesn’t sound mad or upset about it, just matter-of-fact as he perches on a stool and arranges his legs underneath him. It seems harder for him to do than normal, trying to arrange Hoseok’s bulkier limbs on the small seat, but he somehow manages it. Hoseok settles on his own stool and considers Hyungwon. 

“Does it...bother you?” Hoseok asks. 

Hyungwon shrugs. “Not really. Does it bother you that I nap with him?”

“No,” Hoseok answers, because it doesn’t. Hoseok almost feels like they’re talking about something else here, but he doesn’t want to think too hard about it, because there’s no way that Hyungwon could be thinking the same thing he is.

Hoseok would know if Hyungwon also liked Changkyun. He’d definitely know.

Hyungwon looks up and sighs deeply, jerking Hoseok out of his thoughts. 

“When are we gonna switch back?” he complains. “Your face is going to be puffy in the morning from eating this. You’re gonna make me look bad.”

Hoseok grins and slurps up a bite of noodles. 

*

Kihyun keeps giving them expectant looks during the rehearsals leading up to the fanmeet, which Hoseok tries to ignore. He’s still not sure what he and Hyungwon have to work out, because Hyungwon hasn’t mentioned anything and Hoseok hasn’t offered up anything either. He knows that something has to give, they can’t keep living like this, but it would change everything. So he doesn’t say anything. 

Hyungwon seems especially nervous right before they step on stage, and Hoseok catches him by the arm and tugs him in. 

“Hey. We’ve practiced this so many times. It’ll be fine.”

Hyungwon still looks like he’s going to puke, but he nods and gives Hoseok a half-hearted smile. 

“Yeah,” Hyungwon says. “It’ll be fine.”

Minhyuk swoops by, eyes on the lookout for snacks, but he pulls up short when he spots them. 

“Oh— Wonho. Changkyunnie was looking for you,” Minhyuk says, and then is off again. Hoseok and Hyungwon exchange a glance and Hoseok nudges him to get moving. 

“See you out there,” he says. Hyungwon nods and sets off to find Changkyun. 

*

It goes fine at first, the audience is cheering and everyone is having fun, and then there’s a misstep, and then another. Hoseok looks over to see Hyungwon struggling to stay on beat, Jooheon shooting him strange looks and Kihyun semi-glaring even as he keeps a smile on his face for their fans. 

It only last a few beats, but it’s noticeable. Hyungwon’s the first one off the stage when they go to take a break and grab some water, but Hoseok isn’t far behind him. Hyungwon finds him first, hand appearing out of nowhere and grabbing Hoseok by the wrist. 

“I’m sorry,” Hyungwon rasps out. He’s still struggling for breath and sweating, but he looks so miserable. Hoseok still hates the constant reminder of just how clearly his emotions play out on his face. 

“It’s okay,” Hoseok says. “Hyungwon — seriously. It’s fine.”

“I made you look bad,” Hyungwon says miserably. 

“Payback for the puffy face,” Hoseok jokes. Hyungwon groans and swats at him. “What happened, though?” 

“Changkyun,” Hyungwon replies. “I talked to him right before we went out and I...he surprised me. It threw me off.”

“What did he say?”

Hyungwon chews on his lip and looks at their feet. “A lot.”

“I’m listening.”

“Well, he apologized for making you mad at him, even though he didn’t have anything to say sorry for,” Hyungwon says. “And then he...ah. Well, he told me why he thought you — I — what the fuck _ever_ — was mad at him.”

“And?” Hoseok prompts when Hyungwon doesn’t continue. “What is it?”

“He has a crush on you,” Hyungwon blurts. He licks his lips quickly and continues. “He apologized for making you uncomfortable because he thought he was being super obvious and that you were mad.” 

Hoseok gapes. 

“What did you say?” 

Hyungwon grimaces. “I said, ‘Oh,’ and then he ran off.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Hyungwon says, and then mumbles, “I almost accidentally told him how I felt.”

There’s silence as Hoseok gapes again. “Are you saying—”

“It’s a little obvious,” Hyungwon interrupts. “Don’t make me say it. I still like you too, obviously. Ugh.”

“Wow.” Hoseok watches as Hyungwon tries to shrug off the honesty and full-body cringes. 

“Don’t!” Hyungwon says, looking like he’s ready to bolt.

“Hyungwon—” Hoseok reaches out and catches Hyungwon’s hand before he can leave. “I feel the same.” 

“Of course you do,” Hyungwon says. “I already knew that. You’re super easy to read.”

“You knew?” Hoseok asks. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I know your feelings for me are real too,” Hyungwon says. “And how could I say anything when I felt the same way? He’s fucking cute. Who doesn’t have a crush on him?” 

Hoseok blinks. It can’t be that easy, but Hyungwon is acting like it is. And if it is, Hoseok knows what they have to do. What they should’ve done a while ago.

“We should talk to him,” Hoseok says. 

“I guess,” Hyungwon says, looking like he wants to die.

“Tonight, probably,” Hoseok says. 

Hyungwon lets out a groan that almost sounds like a death rattle, but doesn’t argue. 

“Fine,” he says, and then pales.

“What is it?” Hoseok asks, worry washing over him. But he feels shaky himself, and barely has the strength to reach out and catch Hyungwon as he tips forward. He manages to lower the two of them to the ground while leaning against each other, kneeling in front of Hyungwon. His vision swims and goes black at the edges, and he drops his head close to Hyungwon’s and closes his eyes. It _hurts_ and he feels like he might just puke right here. 

“Holy shit,” comes Jooheon’s voice. “What’s wrong with you guys?”

Hoseok grunts and lifts his head up to answer, and tries to see how Hyungwon is doing. He stares at Hyungwon, because he’s looking at _Hyungwon,_ not himself. He lets go of Hyungwon’s shoulders and looks down at his own hands — the familiar scars and calluses all where they’re supposed to be. 

“Nothing,” Hoseok says. Hyungwon looks up quickly at the sound of his voice, and then assess his own hands. He presses his hands to his chest and abs and sighs in relief. “Nothing’s wrong. We were just...resting.”

Kihyun shows up next to Jooheon and looks between the two of them and raises his eyebrows. Hoseok nods at the silent question and Kihyun nods back before saying, “All right, we have to go back out.”

Hoseok and Hyungwon exchange a look as they help each other to their feet. If agreeing to talk to Changkyun about their feelings switched them back, then it doesn’t really seem like they can go back on their decision at this point.

*

“There’s a flaw in this plan,” Hyungwon hisses as they approach the room Changkyun shares with Minhyuk. 

“What’s that?” Hoseok asks, hand already poised to knock. 

“Changkyunnie has a crush on you, but not me,” Hyungwon mutters. Hoseok lowers his hand. 

“Hyungwon-ah,” Hoseok says. “Don’t be an idiot.”

Hyungwon makes a face at him. Hoseok makes one right back. It’s such a relief that they’re back in their own bodies. 

“I can’t really speak for Changkyun, but...have you not noticed how he looks at you?” 

Hyungwon scoffs, but Hoseok pushes on. 

“He adores you,” Hoseok says, and then, echoing Hyungwon from earlier, says, “Who wouldn’t?”

“Blech,” Hyungwon complains. “Let’s just get this over with.” 

Hoseok knocks, but it’s Hyungwon who calls through the door. “Changkyun-ah.”

There’s a thump, and then a very audible, “ _Shit._ ” Soft feet pad to the door, and then it cracks open. “Oh. It’s both of you. Good.”

“Can we come in?” Hoseok asks. Changkyun shrugs and walks back to his bed, but doesn’t shut them out of the room. Hyungwon takes a seat on the edge of Minhyuk’s vacant bed, crossing his legs at the ankles and looking at ease, completely opposite from how he’d just acted outside. Hoseok, on the other hand, feels like he’s about to vibrate out of his skin. He hovers near the window and the collection of items jammed onto the windowsill.

Changkyun’s sitting on his bed, legs crossed underneath him and unhappy slant to his mouth. He has his glasses pushed up to get his bangs off his face, making him look soft and vulnerable. He’s glancing between the two of them like he’s confused as to why they’re there, and as if he won’t like the answer. 

Hoseok feels a responsibility to take the lead here, seeing as he’s the oldest, and Hyungwon looks like he’d rather do anything other than talk about this. It brings him back to a few months ago, when they finally confronted their feelings for each other, and Hyungwon tried to pretend he’d fallen asleep to get out of the conversation. 

“We wanted to talk to you,” Hoseok starts. Changkyun closes his eyes. 

“It’s not bad!” Hoseok rushes to say. “At least, I don’t think so—“

“Changkyun-ah. I like you,” Hyungwon interrupts. Changkyun freezes, his eyes popping open to dart a look between Hyungwon and Hoseok. “We both like you.” 

_Well,_ Hoseok thinks. _That’s one way to do it._

“You’re messing with me,” Changkyun mutters. 

“No,” Hoseok replies. “We like each other, but we also like you, and we hope you feel the same.” 

“I mean, I—“ Changkyun doesn’t seem to know what to say. His face is slowly turning even redder, and Hoseok wants so desperately to reach out and hug him and tell him everything will be okay. Changkyun reaches up and fiddles with his piercings as he stares at the floor. Like if he stares and wishes hard enough, it’ll open up and swallow him. 

Hoseok abandons the cluttered windowsill and takes a seat on Changkyun’s bed instead. He reaches out and touches Changkyun’s free hand gently. Changkyun startles and then turns his palm and threads his fingers through Hoseok’s as if it’s second nature. 

“I don’t want to mess anything up,” Changkyun says quietly. “I shouldn’t even have told you how I felt, it was stupid. I just —“ he sighs roughly. “I thought you found out and was mad, so I wanted to explain. I can’t really help it, but I’ll get over it probably, I just—”

“I’m not mad,” Hoseok says. “Changkyun-ah, I’m never mad at you.” 

“Except when you skip out on working out with him,” Hyungwon cuts in to say. 

“Hyungwon,” Hoseok starts to say, wondering if this is the time for a joke, but stops when Changkyun snorts. 

“Hyung…” Changkyun says hesitantly. “You like me?”

Hyungwon clears his throat aggressively and looks away. “Yeah.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Changkyun says. Hyungwon’s head whips back around and Hoseok’s heart leaps. 

“What are you saying?” Hyungwon asks. Hoseok can tell he’s trying to keep the hope out of his voice, but it leaks through a little. 

“It’s not just Hoseokie-hyung I like,” Changkyun admits in a mumble. Hoseok squeezes his hand and Changkyun squeezes back tightly. His head is ducking down again, ears going red. He laughs suddenly, startling both Hoseok and Hyungwon. 

“What?” Hoseok asks. 

“Is this not extremely awkward for anyone else?” Changkyun whines. “I hate this.”

“I hate it too,” Hyungwon says. “My soul left this conversation five minutes ago.”

“Jesus,” Hoseok mutters. 

“Changkyun-ah.” The door opens and Kihyun strolls in with a pile of laundry. He stops short when he sees the three of them sitting there, all in various stages of mortification. He laughs, sudden and loud, and says, “I _knew_ it.”

“Hyung,” Changkyun whines. Kihyun grins. 

“Hyung, please take your know-it-all attitude and get out,” Hyungwon says. Kihyun leaves again and shuts the door behind him, but not before they hear him laugh again, clearly thrilled. 

“What do we do now?” Changkyun asks after a long minute of Kihyun-induced silence. 

“We figure it out,” Hoseok replies. “No one is mad and nothing will get messed up. We’ll figure it out. Together.”

“You mean that?” Changkyun asks. Hyungwon hauls himself up and comes over to drop on Changkyun’s other side. Their shoulders press together and Changkyun’s body turns into Hyungwon’s automatically. 

“He definitely means it,” Hyungwon says. Changkyun looks up at him, shy and cute and perfect. “He doesn’t say things he doesn’t mean.”

Changkyun looks back at Hoseok and smiles. Hyungwon is also smiling at him, and Hoseok almost feels like he has two hearts with how much it’s fluttering. He really does believe that they’ll work everything out and be good together, but the reality of how much trouble he’s getting himself into is suddenly dawning on him. 

Good thing he’s looking forward to it.


End file.
